Workshop in the .........Snow!

I traveled the 1400 miles up I 75 from Gainesville Florida to the Upper Peninsula to take in the rifle and muzzleloading deer hunting seasons, and to do a little woodworking if possible. When I arrived at Manistique I was caught in a snowstorm in near "white out" conditions. The next morning greeted us with a foot of snow on the ground. However, "mother" Superior was not done with us. Lake Superior stays at around 45 degrees year round and never freezes over. When a cold blast of Artic air sweeps over the lake it picks up moisture and dumps it on us, almost daily, in the form of snow - usually large powery flakes - great for snowmobiles and skiiers.

After shoveling my way to the door of the workshop I entered and was greeted to freezing temperatures. My Shopsmith and other tools were virtually too cold to handle with bare hands. I certainly can't do woodworking with gloves on! This would be a good test of my new 35,000 BTU Reznor propane heater. I was pleased to find that the shop and all the tools in it were able to come up to about 65 degrees in about twenty minutes. Thereafter, I left the thermostat on 55 degrees when I was not in the shop. This made it possible to enter the shop and get it up to 65 degrees in just a few minutes. These conditions certainly make you appreciate our ancestors, who did not have snowplows, snow blowers, and 4 wheel drive. If they wanted heat they had to chop wood! So much for the "good old days".

I got a good start on my project, a walnut "treasure chest" with a domed top for my 9 year old grandson. I first had to make a finger jig. I made it out of 3/4" birch plywood per the plans shown in "Jigs, Fixtures, and Shop Furniture" Rodale Press 1989. I'll report more on this project later as I finish it up here in Gainesville.

My shop was about 45 this morning. But I only worked in there for a couple of hours so i didn’t turn the heat on. My shop heater burns about 4 lbs of propane per day. So it’s about 12-15 dollars a day. So if I don’t plan to be ther all day I grin and bear it.

I do use a tyvek hazmat suit that keeps the cloths clean and also keeps the heat in the body. I don’t use any other outer wear. But I’d like it a little warmer. the therm is set to 55 when I’m in the shop and working. The shop is 25 X 55 and 16’ ceilings but well insulated. Just a lot of space to heat.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware soon moving to Virginia karsonwm@gmail.com †

Well it’s snowing here in Eastern Washington with predictions for snow for most of the day! About 15 outside. I heat a 40X48 shop with a pellet stove I don’t know what temp it is inside but very comfy with a sweatshirt on I use a bag of pellets a day not too bad @ $4.50 a day for heat!.

I am not sure what the fascination is other than it is a little slice of another place.

It was supposed to hit -25 last night but I don’t think it got below -15. It was enough to freeze the water lines in the crawl space. We are working on warming them up right now – should have let the faucet dribble through the night.

I wasn’t sure as I watched the video whether I was seeing your view, or just looking out my window. It was minus 7 degrees here in Wausau WI and I had to go out and blow 5” of snow. It’s the 5th time I’ve done that already this year, and today is just the first day of winter. What am I doing here???

The only bright spot is that my shop is in the basement of my house. There are times that I wish I had a separate building for the shop, but not when the weather is like this….Great story, Manistique is a beautiful area in the summer (probably beautiful on a post card in the winter) and Mackinac Island is a must see. -SST

We are getting the idea that the pipe is not frozen under the house but rather underground.

We live in an old house that has a footer only 6” under the surface of the ground. The waterline runs just underneath the footer. We build up the dirt next to the house in the form of a flower bed to create extra thermal protection for the waterline.

I am afraid that after too many days of subzero weather, the pipe may have succumbed to the ever deepening frost line.

yep, you have a great looking shop up in Gods country. i was disapointed that i couldn’t make it farther than the bridge to see/meet you this summer.You went a long way for no meat.lol at least you had your shop to fill the time when you wern’t in the woods.

i don’t think your video is as bad as it is just north of detroit today! i’ts brutal today. about 5 deg with wind about 30mph w/gusts to40.

I had an employee that worked for me in St Louis and she was telling about going up to Maine for a vacation. She was talking to a cousin about the doors on the second floor of the shed. She asked what they were for. They said to park the snowmobiles.

She asked how do you get them there. His reply – We drive them in.

We had rain last night, but this morning i drove north and about 10 miles north there were ice on the trees. So it got close.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware soon moving to Virginia karsonwm@gmail.com †